July 3, 2018

"If we’re going to start having Republican parties and Democratic parties, that’s not what the Island has been about. It’s a tragedy that it’s come to the Island. This is supposed to be a place where you leave your politics at the door."

Alan Dershowitz told The Martha’s Vineyard Times, reported in The NYT, which highlights the mockery Dershowitz is getting in social media for complaining about a deficiency in his social life among the elite.
[H]e also responded to his critics on Twitter, saying he was “reveling, not whining” and “I’m proud of taking an unpopular, principled position that gets me shunned by partisan zealots. It’s not about me. I couldn’t care less about being shunned by such people.”...
The NYT also digs back into New York Magazine to show that Dershowitz himself has been a shunner. From that article:
Where: At his Martha’s Vineyard home
Table Seats: 12. “I like large parties, but my wife, Carolyn Cohen, prefers more intimate parties with six couples. That’s the one thing we argue about.”
Guest List: Harvey Weinstein, William Styron, Larry and Laurie David (“Larry’s from Brooklyn. Sometimes we’ll have theme parties where everyone’s from Brooklyn”)
Guest qualifications: “I rarely invite my academic colleagues,” says Dershowitz. “Most of them don’t make good dinner guests.”
Guest Testimony: “Alan’s guests are creative, interesting intellects, not necessarily intellectuals, but witty or wise or profound or comic,” says one guest. “What bedazzles at Alan’s parties is not the jewelry but the conversation that issues from their lips.”
The NYT article quotes the disrespect for "my academic colleagues." It seems to me that shunning is part of elites being elite. Why were you ever on the inside in the first place?

The NYT doesn't seem to know when that NY Magazine article was written. It just says "years ago." I wasn't able to figure it out either, except that I know William Styron died in 2006. Larry David and Laurie David broke up in 2007. Harvey Weinstein became a persona non grata last year. But Dershowitz doesn't shun him: "Alan Dershowitz Hired as Harvey Weinstein Consultant" (Hollywood Reporter, May 2018).

55 comments:

Henry said...

Time to launch the dinosaurs.

rehajm said...

GOP people left for Nantucket long ago. The Vineyard has been a bore for two decades...

readering said...

Chilmark or Edgartown?

Nonapod said...

I've no doubt that Harvey Weinstein could be very charming at a dinner party. He was an intelligent sociopath who navigated the channels of power, he could wear a mask easily. Sometimes the mask slips, like when he said “I’m the scariest motherfucker you’ll ever have as an enemy in this town!”.

tim in vermont said...

“I’m proud of taking an unpopular, principled position that gets me shunned by partisan zealots. It’s not about me. I couldn’t care less about being shunned by such people.”

Exacitackily

tim in vermont said...

What I find really comic are the trolls that come by to shun us on a regular basis. It's like "Goddamn them Althousians! They have the coolest parties! I am going to go there and shun them!"

The Bergall said...

Dinner with Elites? I'll take a pass...................

Gahrie said...

Dershowitz carried water for the Left for decades...yet the second he stepped out of line he was persona non gratia.

J. Farmer said...

Alan's guests are elitists.

Bill Peschel said...

The article came from the May 5, 2003 issue.

It wasn't difficult to find. It was at the bottom of the page, below the Fake News ads.

The article's a fascinating glimpse into the past. Look at the bold faces! Tina Brown! Diane von Furstenburg! William F. Buckley! Georgette Mosbacher!

From the first line of the cover article's subhead: "What’s the secret to a perfect dinner party? (Rule No. 1: Don’t invite Phil Spector.)"

Bill Peschel said...

Pardon me, I forgot to snark: This is why you keep your copy editors.

rcocean said...

When Alan Dershowitz has become the voice of reason and "Conservatism" -

you've passed into Left-wing looney Land.

rcocean said...

What could be more exclusive - to start out with - then "summering" on a small, expensive, island?

Isn't it funny, how our "elite" loves islands, and peninsula's, so far from the rest of us?

rcocean said...

There are always two kinds of Americans. Those like me, who are skeptical of our "elites" and the peasants who always want to "fall in line" and "obey".

The Peasants will probably be VERY Upset that we've spoken so disrespectfully of our betters.

Sebastian said...

"When Alan Dershowitz has become the voice of reason and "Conservatism" - you've passed into Left-wing looney Land."

But in looney land, the GOP has a chance to scoop up "moderates," even some liberals, who are now "conservative."

We should encourage the shunning.

Spiros Pappas said...

So much sympathy for the poor! And how intense are these people's desire for a classless society!

Rigelsen said...

It seems to be the position of the Hollywood Reporter that only certain blessed, or at least sufficiently popular, criminal defendants are deserving of adequate legal representation. Why else would they speculate about whether Dershowitz would have qualms about signing on Weinstein’s legal team?

gspencer said...

Tsk, tsk, tsk, Alan. you really are a naive dunderhead. And all these frappin' people on Martha's Vineyard in high season are just so frappin' smug and wealthy. Caring not a wit about those truly struggling in Cleveland, Akron, Detroit. Poor, poor Alan. Let us all shed a heartfelt tear for dear Alan.

stevew said...

I’ve spent a lot of time on the Vinyard, but do not have a place there, and have never had these kinds of problems. We must travel in different circles.

-sw

stevew said...

I should mention my time there is mostly in Menemsha, those other places are for poseurs.

-sw

Etienne said...

Alan Dershowitz is 80 fucking years old. Who the hell wants to go to a party with some 80 year old fucker.

What, maybe compare prune juice machines...

Why doesn't he just move to Florida and die like all old people.

Drago said...

readering: "Chilmark or Edgartown?"

All I ask is that it be a location where a Kennedy hasn't whacked some chick or two.

Bay Area Guy said...

I would like to have Alan Dershowitz and Laurence Tribe at a party, ply them both with alcohol, and then get into all matters Trump.

It'd be a hoot.

Titus said...

MV is fab. I prefer Nantucket though. Althouse didn't know what MV was. So terribly flyover of her.

Tits

Michael K said...


readering: "Chilmark or Edgartown?"

All I ask is that it be a location where a Kennedy hasn't whacked some chick or two.


Are there any such places east of the Hudson ?

readering said...

AD called it a tragedy on Martha's Vinyard. a tragedy.

readering said...

Never too early to start dusting off and practicing up on those Ted Kennedy jokes. Just over a year to the fiftieth anniversary. Don't want to be caught flat-footed.

n.n said...

Dershowitz was liberal but is now deplorable.

Has he remarked on progressive and liberal sects advocacy for the wicked solution, final solution? For diversity and the bigotry spectrum?

stephen cooper said...

For the record, it is easy to mock Dershowitz, but if you have read Thackeray's Vanity Fair, you have to give him props for having been honest (his quotes were from 15 years ago or so, at least, so there is that, too, the Dershowitz of today would likely be less vain (less vanity)).

Look, Dershowitz is not going to comment here. If he did, he would ask you - well , don't you want to be around people you like to be around?

And he would be right.

Sure he is not as smart as he thinks he is and his views on natural law are fundamentally unsound, but who among us is as smart as they think they are, and who among us would not have fundamentally unsound views of the natural law if were raised the way almost every single law professor (sorry, Ann) was raised?

Well, maybe me, but I do't have a house on the Vineyard, in fact I can't even get to choose what state I want to live in. But that is ok I am not bitter. None of us really want to go to more than 25 places on a regular basis in our day to day life and all you need in life is the friendship of people who may or may not understand you but who feel some discernible urge to be nice to you. And I guess I am rich because I have both those things, And if you don't have that God must love you very much because God loves those who are brave enough to be alone in this world, without friends, without support, because God loves people like that. Trust me.

Henry said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Henry said...

I just realized the right Island reference. Not Jurassic Park.

Survivor.

You don't die. You just get eliminated.

The reality show is make-believe, once you decide it is.

Ambrose said...

Alan: May I call you Alan? You may not be interested in the culture war, but the culture war is interested in you. You've chosen a side - brave Sir. Alan - now you are not going to know what hit you. You will envy those poor fools eaten by Jaws.

Henry said...

There's also the Island of Doctor Morneau and The Most Dangerous Game.

tim in vermont said...

Never too early to start dusting off and practicing up on those Ted Kennedy jokes. Just over a year to the fiftieth anniversary. Don't want to be caught flat-footed.

Never too late to defend the murderer, or the rapist Bill Clinton! Never too late to join the conspiracy of silence, readering! Oh who am I kidding, you have always been a part of that conspiracy of silence.

narciso said...

We'll dershowitz hasn't changed his mind on the state power, he's been consisted like William roper it's the left who has changed their mind.

narciso said...

And Nantucket is as annoying liberal as anywhere else, in that state.

From what a resident tells me.

Sebastian said...

"Guest List: Harvey Weinstein, William Styron, Larry and Laurie David"

Fellow deplorables: forgive my anti-elitism (I know you will), but I confess I prefer hanging out with, oh, my 10 favorite Althouse commenters rather than the Dersh guest list. Maybe we'd allow Larry in for a quick drink?

Ralph L said...

William Styron died in 2006. Larry David and Laurie David broke up in 2007.

Good to have the second data point.

But inviting 2 recent divorcees could be fun, and Zombie Styron is probably a better guest.

cubanbob said...

Poor Alan. He thought he could take a short walk on the wild side and then come back safely. He just might to his horror have to continue the walk all the way to the other side.

Bob Loblaw said...

It must be depressing to realize you've been making common cause with terrible people all these years.

walter said...

Where's the best meat raffle at "MV"?

Lloyd W. Robertson said...

I read once about a hostess, during some putative golden age of entertaining in New York, having a rule: in most couples, only one person is entertaining. Invite only that person.

Tom from Virginia said...

Never been to Martha's Vineyard but am on Nantucket as I type this. If you're not blue blue blue, you keep your opinions to yourself. The only seat open for him would be on the Pequod.

lonetown said...

Passive aggressive behavior is not a sign of a mature mind. So if you are shunning anyone, you might need a time out.

Matt Sablan said...

Black balling people at dinner parties.

Frasier and Yes Prime Minister are almost always relevant.

PB said...

Just how many Republicans go to Martha's Vineyard?

walter said...

I didn't go to Martha's Vineyard..but I STILL got the lousy T-shirt.
Gift from a lib couple in which one's Dad has property there.
"Heyyy...thanks!"

FIDO said...

Since the Left has come to outlaw sluts and sneering at your inferiors, and gone into that whole 'self flagellation' thing, their parties just aren't the same.

I miss the 80's.


You realize they can no longer make a "Weekend at Bernie's' (or pretty much any comedy which isn't blatantly political or preachy) in the current toxic media atmosphere?


Can anyone imagine them greenlighting 'Married with Children' these days?

FIDO said...

I think Dersh is missing Lolita Island and the cruising he did with Bill and Jeffery Epstein.

I wonder how often Ol Pantless Bill is getting to Thailand these days.

readering said...

Trying to think if I have anything in common with AD. Well I suppose we have both been part of that unsuccessful conspiracy of silence all these years. I joined age 12.

tcrosse said...

Where's the best meat raffle at "MV"?

It's at the Legion Hall down by the WalMart.

Jim at said...

Never too early to start dusting off and practicing up on those Ted Kennedy jokes. Just over a year to the fiftieth anniversary. - readering

Maybe you could run some of them past the family and friends of Mary Jo, and get back to us.

readering said...

Why would one do that?

Josephbleau said...

"If we’re going to start having Republican parties and Democratic parties, that’s not what the Island has been about. It’s a tragedy that it’s come to the Island. This is supposed to be a place where you leave your politics at the door."

The US is not an Island but a Continent but I somewhat agree with the sentiment.

Josephbleau said...

I Abjure my claim about the Continental status of the US to deflect criticism. The US is Part of a Continent and only contains islands.